David Brayshaw column

Chairman of Morecambe Carnival organising committee David Brayshaw.

We launched our Sponsorship Schedule this week, which invites advertising in the Festival Arena on carnival day as well as in the souvenir programme, which will be available to purchase in the run up to the carnival.

We hope this will prove to be a valuable source of income to cover the costs of staging the event.

I have been amazed at the support which local businesses have shown and their generosity when backing us.

To those that I haven’t been to see yet, you are on my list, so look forward to the call.

As well as all the entertainment that’s happening, we are also holding a Vintage and Craft fair, with stalls being set up on the Northumberland Street car park, behind the Festival Arena.

We’ve had some fantastic applications already, including air brush tattoos and hand crafted tribal jewellery.

We’ve also got various food concessions including Chinese, Mexican, Spanish and good old British.

All this can be washed down with Ale from all around the world.

We have made appeals for a marching band to join the procession; we have the Batala Drummers and, of course, the fabulous Bay Beat but we were hoping to have a more traditional marching band too.

It seems that the Morecambe Band may be the last local marching band but unfortunately we cannot afford them.

I might have to appeal to my old Boy’s Brigade pals, see if we can dig out our bugles and drums and re-form for 2014.

It brings to mind the introduction given by Dave in the film The Full Monty: “We may not be young, we may not be pretty, we may not be right good. But we’re here, we’re live, and for one night only, we’re going for the full Monty”. Well, perhaps not.

I had the opportunity of speaking to a member of the Heysham High School Carnival Committee this week, they have some very exciting ideas for their float entry.

I have a lot of admiration for Heysham High, I know that there were a few hurdles for schools to overcome before joining the Carnival, not least being supervision issues of pupils on a Sunday.

Nevertheless, Heysham High School rose to the challenge and The Carnival Organising Committee are pleased to welcome them into the procession.

There are five prize categories for the float entries and all five have been kindly sponsored by local businesses.

I also had a lovely email from Lancaster Round Table this week, wishing us well and advising that they are making a significant donation towards the cost of our First Aid and ambulance cover.

We are still looking for volunteers to help on the day, you will be given training and refreshments during the day.

If any local suppliers want to help by supplying refreshments, please feel free to do so, it will be greatly appreciated.

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